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Read: StopAfib.org Atrial Fibrillation Blog Honored as a Top Blog
Atrial Fibrillation Blog Named a Top Health Blog
I was diagnosed as having afib in the hospital in November 2008 right after they finished a 6 hour colon surgery. I am on 225mg rythmol 3 times a day and a quarter of 25mg atenolol twice a day and have been in NSR every time I go to my cardio for an EKG and I wore a 24 hour Holter last month that he says showed lots of “extra beats” (PAC’s) but no afib. The same during my exercise stress test this month. I feel horrible but I do not know if its afib that is going on when I’m not being monitored, the drugs, PAC’s or something else like CAD.
My doctor did not put me on a blood thinner because I am 44 and I take a low dose aspirin. I am worried that I should be on a blood thinner because I weigh over 250 lbs ( I weighed 320 8 months ago but dieted). My right eye does not seem to work right after I woke up in the hospital in November with afib. I can see but its like it doesn’t want to move.I feel light headed alot. My doctor does not seem to pay any attention when I am worried that I had a stroke or TIA while I was under the anesthia for 6 hours and I am scared of another one. According to my doctor, my heart is structurally normal. Am I crazy to want to be on blood thinners because I feel I can live with anything but a stroke.
I consulted an EP at Univ of Penn and he seemed to be really pushing ablation and I know they do a lot of them there and have a good name for it. He seems to think that my age and recent diagnosis make me an ideal candidate. But I am worried that my age is misleading and that I have some undiagnosed other problem that will make me stroke out or have a heart attack.
Any advise?
Joe O.
Joe,
I definitely understand the fear of having a stroke.
Have they done any tests to rule out a stroke or heart disease? Typically they do a bunch of tests in preparing for ablation or surgery and would probably pick up on it then. Let them know of your concerns so they can test you for them.
Good luck.
Mellanie